Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will know if he has had an opportunity to read the value for money review, which was published last October, the members of the steering committee are detailed on page three. Mr. Liam Whelan, independent chairperson replaced Ms Mary Butler as independent chairperson in August 2012. It included Mr. Robert Mooney, principal officer, Department of Defence, and Col. Michael Meehan, director strategic planning office, Defence Forces, who replaced Col. Colm Campbell, director strategic planning office, in April 2012. Ms Aileen Nolan, principal officer, Department of Defence, replaced Ms Ann Price, principal officer, in May 2012. Lt Col. Liam O'Carroll, acting director Reserve Defence Force, replaced Col. George Kerton, director Reserve Defence Force, in October 2010, who replaced Lt. Col. Tony Daly, acting director Reserve Defence Force. Ms Stephanie O'Donnell, principal officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, replaced Mr Dermot Quigley, principal officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in August 2012. Mr. Fiachra Kennedy, assistant principal officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, replaced Mr. Eoin Dormer, assistant principal officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in May 2012. Ms Valerie Byrne, assistant principal officer, Department of Defence, secretary to the steering committee, replaced Mr. Ciaran Desmond, assistant principal officer, Department of Defence, in May 2012, who replaced Mr. Tadgh O'Doherty, assistant principal officer, Department of Defence.

Had the Deputy gone to the trouble of reading the report he could not have missed the names of the individuals in it. Before he makes allegations about a report he clearly has not even read I would suggest to him that he does not make comments to suggest that the members of the committee were chosen to reach some particular conclusion, which is the insinuation. I find it quite astonishing that in a meeting dealing with this issue the Deputy should even have to ask who the members of the steering committee were. He clearly has not read the report.